Music Video of the Day: In the Meantime by Spacehog (1995, directed by Jake Scott)

Since it was first released, In the Meantime is one of those song that has come to epitomize an era, in this case the mid-90s. (It’s no surprise that the song was prominently featured in both the premiere and the finale of Everything Sucks!, the Netflix dramedy about growing up in the 90s.) Even if you don’t know necessarily remember the title or the name of the band that performs the song, you’ll immediately recognize those opening notes.

I hate the term “one-hit wonder” because often it’s just a fancy way that some people have of saying that a band found greater success in Europe than in America. However, it is true that, as of this writing, In The Meantime remains Spacehog’s biggest mainstream hit. While the song peaked at number 29 on the UK charts, In the Meantime reached the number one spot on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Charts.

Some of the song’s success was undoubtedly due to this video, which was directed by Jake Scott and, though it may be hard to believe now, seemed to be very edgy and futuristic in 1995. (Today, of course, nose piercings and androgyny are no longer considered to be as unconventional as they were back in the 90s.) For a while, it was impossible to turn on MTV without seeing this video. It’s open to interpretation as to what the song is actually about, though lead singer Royston Langdon explained it to Songfacts as follows: “It’s using some kind of metaphor of a worldly or inner-worldly search for the end of isolation, and the acceptance of one’s self is in there. At the end of the day it’s saying whatever you gotta do, it’s OK, it’s alright. And I think that’s also me talking to myself, getting through my wan anxieties and fear of death. That’s what it all comes down to.”